Automatic fire extinguishing system and apparatus



Aug. 13, 1935. D. MAPEs A 2,011,368

AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM AND APPARATUS mea Nov. 1o, 1952 z sheets-sheet 1 F/@URE 5 Hau/ 4 mvENToR A/v/L MAPES WM @fw ATTORNEY Aug. 13, 1935. D. MAPEs r 2,011,368

AUTOMATIC FIRE EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM AND APPARATUS Filed Nov. 10, 1932 2 Sheets-Sheet '2 Flag/RE Z INVENTORy DA /v/L /V/A Pm- ATTORNEY Patented Aug. 13, 1935 i UNITED STATES PATE-NT oFFlcs `AUTOMATIC FIRE AND EXTINGUISHING SYSTEM APPARATUS Daniel Mapes, Upper Montclair, N. J., assignor to Walter Kidde & Company, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York i Application November 10, 1932, Serial No. 641,970

, l 18 Claims. The present-invention relates to re extinguishing systems of the type employing extinare and extinguishes every vestige of ame.

It is, of course, desirable with systems of this type to release the fire extinguishing medium as quickly as possible after the inception of a fire so that the necessary concentration of the extinguishing medium can be quickly built up, but there are certain instances in which the release of the re extinguishing medium is highly desirable before the fire has gotten beyond its .incipient stage.

v Although systems have been proposed in which the release of re extinguishing mediums under pressure is accomplished automatically, as by thermostatic elements controlling electrical releasing circuits, the chief reliance .has been upon manually initiated releasing operations', whether the releasing operation be accomplished by direct manual control or indirectly through electrical or pneumatic controlling means. In`any event the systems previously proposed, whether automatically or manually operated, have not had the desired rapidity of operation.

It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide an automatic system with means for releasing a fire extinguishing medium u nder pressure during the incipient stage of a fire. More specically, the invention contemplates that said means be arranged for operation by the expansive force of a confined body of air, and in a preferred embodiment of the inventiomthat the confined body of air be vented to the atmosphere, a feature in itself already known, whereby the releasing apparatus can be designed to be unaffected by normal changes in the temperature of the surrounding atmosphere, but to become immediately operative upon .abnormal Changes in temperature Such 8S ECCOmpany Val1 incipient re.

From another point of view, it has long been known that serious lires may result from explosions, and it would accordingly be highly advantageous if means could be provided for operating a re extinguishing system of the type hereinabove referred to substantially simultaneous with the development of an explosion wave.

It is accordingly another object of the present invention to provide means operable by the force of an explosion for effecting the release of a fire extinguishing medium under pressure, such means being preferably adapted for use with automatic fire extinguishing systems of the type herein-above proposed.

A feature of the present invention which enables the maximum rapidity of operation thereof I to b e utilized is the provision of means normally tending to release the re extinguishing medium and means normally holding the last named means in restraint, said restraining means being operated by the expansive force of the confined body of air, whereby rapid release of the fire extinguishing medium can be eiectedby the employment of a relatively large re extinguishing medium releasing force controlled by the relatively small force developed by the pressure of the confined body of air,

A further object of the invention is to provide.

means for manually releasing the lire extinguishing medium to supplement the automatic releasing means.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel means for indicating both the intentional release of the re extinguishing medium and its accidental release.

These, and further objects of the invention not specically enumerated above, will be apparent as the invention is described in greater detail in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a view in sideelevationv of a fire extinguishing system constructed in accordance with the present invention.

Figure 2 is a view in section, taken through the axis of the re extinguishing medium releasing mechanism shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a view in section, taken through thev axis of the actuator shown in Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a view in section', taken an axis of a modied form of actuator.

Referring to the above drawings, particularly Figure 2, a container I is provided, within which a supply of a fire extinguishing mediumunder 'pressure is maintained by means of a closure body 2 and a bonnet 3. An adapter t serves -to maintain the bonnet upon'the closure body, the latter being .threaded into the top of the container vI and being provided with a frangible disc through described.v

2 8 secured in position by a nut 8. A cutter 1 is movable within the nut 8 and the adapter 4 is provided with threads 8 which engage cooperating threads formed on the closure body 2. the adapter 4 being secured tothe bonnet 8 by means of threaded nuts 9'. and4 8" engaging cooperating threads 9 on an extension of the adapter.

Axially movable within the bonnet is a cutter stem I which is formed with a flange II. An outlet I2 is provided in the closure body for receiving a fitting I8 which is adapted to be con.- nected to a discharge line I8'. v

A spring I4, which provides the actuating force for moving the .cutter and. cutter stem toward the container, is seated against a nut I8 which is a combined sealing nut and resetting nut, a stop I8 being' provided on the upper endl of the stem to limit the movement of the stem toward the container. The stop I8 also serves as an in.- dicator, in a manner which will be hereinafter The cutter 1 is secured to the cutter stem I8 through an.intermediate member. I1, which is specially designed to cooperate with the indicating means for indicating the release of the fire extinguishing medium. At its. upper end theintermediate member is secured to the cutter stem I8, as by means of a pin I8. The cutter 1 is secured to the lower end of the intermediate member I1 by means of a threaded extension I9 engaging cooperating threads in the intermediate member, a lock-nut 28 serving to secure the parts firmly.- A leather washer 2| is secured in position between the cutter stem I8 and the intermediate member I1, for a purpose which will be described later.

Extending within the nnet 8 is a spindle 22 which is formed with a groove 28 for engaging a ange 24 on the cutter stem. The spindle is pivoted in the Bonnet at 28 and extends externally thereof within. alever chamber 28, this lever chamber being suitably secured to the bonnet.

The foregoing description relates .to a disc rupturing mechanism and -means for discharging the contents of a fluid container into a pipe line, such as have been found particularly adaptable for use with the present invention. The means for releasing theforegoing mechanism include a series of levers arranged within the lever chamber 28 and serving to hold the spindle 22 ,in restraint until suchl time as the lever system is actuated. Since the lever system itself forms no part of the presentA invention, it has neither been shown nor will it' be described in ,detail herein. as a suitable lever system has already been shown and described in my copending 'application for Letters Patent of the United States, Serial No. 515,717, filed February 14th. 1931. For the purpose of the present invention it is sumcientto note that actuation of the last lever of the series, shown at 21, disengages the entire lever system and permits' spindle 22 to turn under the force exerted by spring I4 to disengage groove 28 from the flange 24. Such disengagement permits they cutter 1 to be advanced into the disc 8 and effects the rupturing thereof, thus causing the discharged medium to ow into the pipe line I8', the stop I8 receding within-a recess 28 in he nut I8 and seating therein, thus serving to t the downward movement of the cutter 1.

In 4accordance with the present invention, the recession of the stop I8 within the nut I8 serves as an indication that the release mechanism has been operated. v In order to render the indicating means more eiective in its indication, a suitable inscription such as Set may be made on the circumference of the stop I8, and an opaque cap 29, with a transparent circumferentialband, may be secured to the nut` I8 over A .the stop I8I as by means of split ring 80 snapment of an excessive pressure within the containerV I, is exactly the same yas the indication given upon the intentional operation of the releasing mechanism. However, a ,novel means is employed to effect this indication, and this means will now-be described. It will rst of all be noted that the lower end of the bonnet 8 is provided with a recess 82 and that communication is established between the chamber 88 in the closure body 2 and the recess 82 through an annular space 84, between an internal bore of the adapter 4 and the intermediate member I1, and by a passage or passages 88 in the adapter 4: A passage 88 also extends from the recess 82 within the lever chamber 28 at a Vpoint directly opposite one e'nd of the lever `21. When, therefore, the fire extinguishing medium is accidentally released upon rupturing of the frangible disc 8, some of the medium is directed from the chamber 88 through the passages 84 and 88 the recess 82 and the passage 88 against the end of the lever. 21, actuating the lever 21 and disengaging the lever system, causing the cutter stem to be advanced and the indicator I8 to recede `within the recess 28 in the nut I5.

sage 88 when the cutter stem is fully advanced.vv

'I'he manner in which the lever 21 is actuated in accordance with thepresent'invention will now be described,y This actuation is effected by a bellows-like member 81 provided with a closed end 88 and supported on its open end by means of an air-tight connection with the member 89. The member 89 is supported on an extension 48 of the lever box 28 by means of screws 4I inserted into supporting lugs 42 carried on -the extension 48. A passage 48 in the member`89 Y communicates with the interior of the bellowslike member 81 and is adapted to be connected toa tube 44 (see now Figure 1) to the other end of which is connected an Iactuator l48, the latter of which serves to develop the operating pressure for the releasing mechanism. Upon the development of the necessary operating pressure, the

bellows-like member 81 moves toward the left,

carrying with it the pin 48 which is secured to the closed en d 88 of the member 81. The pin 48 then forcibly engages the lever 21,'causing it `to disengage the lever system and permitting the releasing mechanism to be actuated in the manner already described. v

The present invention also contemplates man- Figure 1) a cable 12 and an operaing handle 13.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that a, pull on the operating handle will cause the lever 21 to disengage the train of levers normally holding the releasing mechanism in restraint, thus -permitting the releasing mechanism to be actuated.

The construction of the actuator member 45 will now be described in connection with Figure 3, wherein 41 represents a chambered body member having suitable supporting legs 48 by means of which it may be secured in any desired position. The body member 41 has a projection 49 'communicating with the interior thereof and adapted for connection to the tube 44. A diaphragm 50 of some suitable material of considerable ilexibility is secured in an air-tight manner between a flange I on the body member and a cover plate 5? by means of screws 53. The cover plate 52 is provided with a number of openings 54, preferably covering the entire portion of the cover plate overlying the chamber'of the body member 41.

With this construction it is intended that any explosion wave developing in the vicinity of an actuator 45 will flex the diaphragm inwardly to such an extent as to increase the pressure in the body member 41 and the tube 44 to extend the bellows-like` member 31 and actuate the lever 21, thus actuating the releasing mechanism.

In the event, however, that a ilre occurs-in the neighborhood of an actuator 45,-unaccompanied by any explosion; the heating of the actuator will cause an increase in pressure suilicient to extend the bellows-like member 31 and actuate the releasing mechanism. Under this condition any tendency of the flexible diaphragm 5B to flex outwardly is prevented by the perforated cover plate 52, the openings 54 serving to submit the diaphragm to explosion waves, but being of such size as to prevent any material flexing of the diaphragm outwardly;

Figure 4 shows a modified construction of the actuator shown in Figure 3, the reference nu' merals of Figure 3 having the same signitlcance in Figure 4. Figure 4 diifers from -Figure 3 in the provision of means for retaining the diaphragm 50 in its inwardly flexed position subsequent to subjection to an explosion wave, said means comprising a multiple-toothed member 55 pivotally-supported on the interior of the body member 41, and a toothed member 56' supported on the inner side of the flexible diaphragm 50. The teeth on the members 55 and 56 are so designed that the member 55, under the influence of a spring 51 will retain the member 55 and the diaphragm to which it is attached in any position to which the diaphragm is ilexed.

With this construction the pressure developed by an explosion wave-is maintained for a period after the termination of the explosion wave sutilcient to effect extension of the bellows-like member 31 and the actuation of the releasing mechanism.

Resetting of the actuator of Figure 4 is effected by a li-nk 53 passing through an opening inthe body member 41 and terminating in a knob 59.

The air-tight construction of' the actuator is maintained by a bellows-like member 60, secured air-tight to the body member at 6I and to the link at 62.v A

In apparatus of this type it is desirable that the releasing mechanism be not actuated` upon normal changes in temperature of the .surrounda ing atmosphere. In order to prevent such undesired actuation upon normal changes in temperature, it is usual to provide a minute vent in the enclosed air system, permitting the pressure developed upon normal changes in temperature to be communicated to the external'atmosphere, the size of the vent, however, being such that it cannot relieve the pressure occasioned by 'a rapid rise in temperature such as accompanics an incipient fire,l or at least, not until the releasing mechanism has been actuated.

Such avent can eiectively be located at any suitable and convenient point, but in the present case it has been incorporated directly in the releasing mechanism shown in Figure 2. In this figure, B3 represents a disc. of porous material, e. g., blotting paper, having a slight porosity to air under a slight pressure. This porous disc is supported over an opening 64, communicating with the interior of the bellows-like member 31, by a threaded nut 65 engaging cooperating threads in the member 39. A cover plate56 is provided to complete the assembly, this cover plate having an opening 61 for the tube 44. The

porosity of the disc- 63 is such that upon slight changes in pressure in the enclosed body of air due to normal changes in temperature, the pressure is dissipated through the porousdisc, the opening 58 in the nut 65, and the opening 69 in the wall of the member 39, the latter opening communicating with the atmosphere. The porosity of the disc 63, however, is such that the releasing mechanism will be actuated before the pressure developed by rapid rise in temperature of the enclosed body of air can be dissipated.

. From the foregoing description it will be seen that my present invention ,embodies 'the important objects pointed out at the beginning, and while the invention resides in certain priniples of construction and operation which have been illustrated and described in connection with the accompanying drawings, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that they can, of

Y course, be embodied inother forms of construction without departure therefrom, and I do not wish to be strictly limited for this reason to the disclosure, but rather to the scope of the ap-v sion wave,.comprising an air conilning chamber adapted to conduct heatto the confined air from external media and adapted to be connected with the apparatus to be actuated and having an opening, a flexible diaphragm supported over said opening in a manner to decrease the volume of the chamber upon the development of an explosion wave, and means to support the flexible diaphragm against movement in a direction which would increase-the volume of the charnber.

2. An actuator for use with apparatus adapted to be' actuated by the expansive force of a confined body of air and adapted to actuate such apparatus upon the development of an explosion wave, comprising an `air confining chamber adapted toconductheat to the confined air from external media and adapted to be Iconnected with the apparatus to be actuated and having an opening, a flexible diaphragm supported over said opening in a manner to decrease the volume of the chamber upon the development of an explosion wave, means to support the flexible diaphragm l`against movement in a direction which would increase the volume of the chamber, and means to maintain the exible diaphragm in an actuated position after the termination of the explosion wave.

. an opening, a flexible diaphragm supported over said opening in a manner to decrease the volume L of the chamber upon the development of an explosion wave, Vmeans to support the ilexible diaphragm against movement ina direction which would increase the volume of thechamber, means to maintain'the iiexible diaphragm in an actuated position after the termination of the explosion wave, said last named means comprising a spring-controlled catch, and manually-operable means for releasing thecatch to permit the return of the flexible diaphragm to its normal position. y

4. A container for a medium under pressure, a discharge line, means normally tending to release the medium, means normally holding the last named means in restraint comprising a series of interengaging levers, the last of which can be tripped to remove the restraint, means to release the medium upon the development of a predetermined excess pressure in the container, in-

dicating means, means to Aactuate the indicating means by the means normally tending to release the medium, means to trip the last namedlever intentionally, and means to direct the medium against the last named lever to trip it when the medium is released due to excess pressure.

5. A container for a medium under pressure, a discharge line, means normally tending to release the medium,means normally holding the last named means-ln restraint comprising a series of interengaging levers, the last of which can be tripped ,to remove the restraint, means to release the medium upon the development 'ot a predetermined excess pressure in the container, indicating means, means to actuate the indicating means by the means normally tending `to release thevmedium, means to trip the last named lever o .5', intentionally, means to direct the medium against the last named lever to trip it when the medium is released due to excess pressure, and means to shut off the now ot the medium against the last named lever as soon as the means normally tendf "io,

' means by the medium when released due to exing to release the medium has been actuated thereby.

6. A container for a medium under pressure, a discharge line, means normally tending to release the medium, means normally lholdingtlie lastv namedV means in restraint, means to release the y 5 5 medium upon the development of a predetermined excess pressure in the container, indicating means, means to actuate the indicating `means bythe means normally tending to release the medium, means to release the restraining means intentionally, and means to release the restraining cess pressure.

'7. A container for a medium under pressure, a discharge-line, means to release the medium intentionally', means to release the medium upon the development o! a predetermined excess pressure in the container, indicating means, means to actuate the indicating means by the means to release the medium intentionally, means to actuate the means to release the medium intentionally, and means to actuate the last named means by the medium when released due to excess pressure.

8. A container for a medium under pressure, a discharge line, means to release the medium'intentionally, means to release the medium upon the development of a predetermined excess pressurein the container, indicating means, means to actuate the indicating means by the means to release the medium intentionally, and means to actuate the means to release the mediumintentionaliy to actuate the indicating means by the medium when released due to excess pressure.

9. A container for a medium under pressure, a

' discharge line. means to release the medium intentionally, means to release the medium upon the development of a predetermined excess pressure in the container, indicating means, means to actuate the indicating means by the means to release the medium intentionally, and means to actuate the means to release the medium intentionaliy to actuate the indicating means upon release of the medium due to excess pressure.

10. The combination of a container for a medium under pressure, a discharge line, means normally tending to release the medium, means normally holding the last named means in restraint, means to release the medium upon the development oi.' a predetermined excess pressure in the container, indicating means, means to actuate the indicating means by the means normally tending to release the medium, means to release the restraining means by the medium when reair from external media and adapted to be connected to the pressure actuated means and having an opening,a ilexible diaphragm supported over said opening in a manner to decrease the volume of the chamber upon the development of an explosion wave, and means to support the flexible diaphragm against movement in a direction which would increase the volume of the chamber.

11. The combination comprising a container for a medium under pressure, a discharge line,

,means normally tendingxo release the medium,

means normally holding the last named means in restraint comprising a series of interengaging levers, the last of which can ,be tripped to remove the restraint, means to release the medium upon the development of a predetermined excess pressure in the container, indicating means, means to actuate the indicating means by the-means normally tending to release the medium, means to trip the last named lever intentionally, said last named means comprising pressure actuated means tortripping the last named lever, an air confining chamber connected thereto having an opening, a flexible diaphragm supported over said opening in a manner to decrease the volume of the chamber upon the development of an explosion wave, and means to support the ilexible' diaphragm against movement in a direction which would increase the volume of the chamber, means to direct the medium against the last named lever to trip it when the medium is released due to excess pressure, and means to shut oil! the ilow of as the 'means normally tending to release the medium have been actuated thereby.

12. A container for a 'medium under pressure,

a discharge line, a frangible disc for confining the mediumin said container, said disc bursting at a predetermined excess pressure in lthe container, means to release the medium intentionally comprising a cutter normally suspended above said frangible disc, a spring normally tending to forcesaid cutter throughsaid disc, a series of intenengaging levers normally holding said AAspring-in restraint, the last lever of said series being adapted to be tripped to remove the res`traint, pressure-actuated means adapted to trip the said last named lever, an air conning chamber connected to said pressure actuated means and having an opening, a ilexible diaphragm supported over said opening in a manner to def crease the volume of the chamber upon the development of an explosion wave, means to trip saidy last named lever upon release of the medi-- um due to the development of a predetermined excess pressure in the container, indicating lmeans,4 and means to actuate the indicating means bythe releasing means.`

13.l A combination comprising a container for a medium under pressure, a discharge line, means to release the medium intentionally, means t0 release the medium upon the development of a predetermined excess pressure in the container, indicating means, means to actuate the indicating means by the means to release the medium intentionally, means to actuate the means to-release the medium intentionally comprising an air chamber, means associated therewith adapted to decrease the volume of said air chamber upon the development of excess pressure in external media, and means to actuate said indicating means by the medium when released due to excess pressure.

14. A combination comprising a container for a medium under pressure, a discharge line, means to release the medium intentionally, an air conning chamber, said last named means being actuated by the expansive force of the confined air in said chamber upondevelopment of an explosion wave, said air confining chamber having an opening with a ilexible diaphragm supported thereover in a manner to decrease the volume of the chamber upon the development of an explosion wave, means to prevent said flexible diaphragm from moving in a direction to increase the volume of the chamber, means to release the medium upon the development of a predetermined excess pressure ln the container, indicating means, the said indicating means being actuated by the means to release the medium intertionally, and means to operate the means to release the medium intentionally by the' medium when released due to excess pressure.

15. An actuator for use vwith apparatus adapted to be actuated by the expansive force of a conned body of air and adapted to actuate such apparatus upon the development of an explosion wave, comprising an air conilning chamber adapted to conduct heat to the connned air from external media and adapted to be connected with the apparatus to be'actuated, means associated with said chamber in a manner to decrease the V volume o'f the chamber upon the development of an explosion wave and to thus increase the pressure of the connned body of air, and means to maintain the last named means 1n its actuated condition after the termination or the explosion wave.

16. The combination of a container for a medium under pressure, a discharge line, means' the container, indicating means, means to actuate the indicating means by the meansnormally tending to release the medium, means to release the restraining means by the medium when released due to excess pressure, and means to release the restraining means intentionally comprising pressure actuated means for eiecting release of the restraining means, an air conning chamber adapted to actuate said pressure actuated means upon the development of an explosion wave, comprising an air 4conning chamber adapted to conduct heat to the conned air from external media and adapted to be connected with the pressure actuated means, means associated with said chamber in a manner to decrease the volume of the chamber uponthe development of an explosion wave and to thus increase the pressure of the conned body of air; and means to sustain the pressure of the air for a period after the termination of the explosive wave sufficient to operate the apparatus to be actuated.

17. The combination comprising a container for a medium under pressure, a discharge line, means normally tending to release the medium, means normally holding the last named means in restraint comprising a series of interengaging levers, the last of which can be tripped to remove the restraint, means to release the medium upon the development of a predetermined excess pressure in the container, indicating means. means to actuate the indicating means by the means normally tending to release the medium, means to trip the last named lever intentionally, said last named means comprising pressure actuated means for tripping the last named lever, an air coniinin'g chamber connected thereto having an opening, a flexible diaphragm supported over said opening in a manner to decrease the volume of the chamber upon the development of an explosion wave. and means to support the ilexible diaphragm against movement in a' direction which would increase the volume of the chamber, and` means -to maintain the last named means in its actuated condition after the termi-4 the disc,.releasable means normally restraining A the puncturing member against movement, means to release the medium upon thedevelopment of a predetermined excess pressure in the container, indicating means, means to actuate the indicating means upon operation ofv the puncturing member and means to release the restraining means by the impingement of the medium when released due to excess pressure on an element of the restraining means. f

' Dimmi.. MAPES.

CERTIFICATE or CORRECTION.

Parent N0. animes. August 13,1935.

' DANI-EL MAPES. I

It is hereby certified' that error appears inthe printed specification of, the above numbered'pa-tent requiring correction as follows: Page 1, second column, line 3,- for "simultaneous" read simultaneously; page 5, first column, line 112, claim' l2, for "intenengaging" read intel-engaging; same page, second column, strike out lines 29, 30 and 3l, of claim 16, and insertz instead maintain the last named means in its actuated Condition after the termination of the explosionv'wave; and claim 17,' line 53, beginning with the'word' "maintain" strike out all to and including1 the word "wave" inline 5S, and insert instead direct the medium against the last named lever.to tripit when the medium' is released ,due to excess pressure; and that Athe said Letters Patent should be read with these corrections therein that the same may conform to 'the record of the case in the Patent Office. l I

Signed and sealed this 24th day of. September, A. D. 1.935.

. Leslierazer ,'(Seal) I Acting Commissioner of Patents. 

